I'm Not Cheap, I'm Frugal

Weekly Printable Coupons

2010-12-14T11:39:00.000-05:00

Huggies Enjoy the Ride Code

2010-07-15T10:16:00.000-04:00

This one is for 4 points.

XQRJBXPBXLKBFXH

Enjoy!

Get a FREE Interactive Potty Training Success DVD!

2010-05-11T18:29:00.000-04:00

Get a FREE Interactive Potty Training Success DVD!

From Pull-Ups® Big Kid® Central

Biz Stain Fighter $2.00 Off Coupon

2010-05-11T18:20:00.000-04:00

Visit the Biz Stain Fighter website for a $2.00 off printable coupon.

Booklet by Mail of Over $30 in Savings on Home Care Products Like Cascade, Dawn, febreze, Mr. Clean and Swiffer

2010-05-11T17:52:00.003-04:00

I thought that I had already ordered this booklet, but it let me order it, so this must be another booklet with even more coupons. Follow This Link to get your booklet too.

Download Coupons onto Your Grocery Store Membership Card

2010-05-11T17:18:00.003-04:00

Did you know that some companies and some stores make it easy to shop with coupons? You don't even have to clip the coupons from the Sunday paper or print them from your computer, you just download them on to your store membership card. When you shop at that store, the coupon is downloaded from your card and you just saved money without a pair of scissors or digging through that stack of coupons.

Unfortunately, not all stores offer this feature, but I hope that more stores and companies get on board with this. Not only does it save time, both at home and at the store, but it can save money for all involved if nothing needs to be printed out. Cutting out all forms of paper coupons is a simple and affordable to Go Green for consumers, big companies and grocery stores. So if your favorite store doesn't yet participate in downloadable coupons, ask them to start. If your favorite companies don't offer coupons for download, shoot them an email and ask them to start.

To find out if your store participates you can go to Shortcuts.com and it up.

The best partnership is between Kroger and Proctor & Gamble. If you go to the P & G website, you can check to see if your grocery store is part of this partnership as well.

If you buy Upromise products to earn money towards college, you can check out their Upromise eCoupons too see a list of participating stores.

May 18 – Haagen-Dazs Free Scoop Day

2010-05-11T15:52:00.003-04:00

Big bummer that we don't have a Haagen-Dazs shop near us, but if we did, I would so be there! I love Haagen-Dazs ice cream!! Yummers!

Certificate for Free Sample of Enfamil Formula

2010-03-31T11:22:00.000-04:00

Enfamil has a printable certificate that you can take to your child's pediatrician and trade it in for a free sample. There are three varieties of formula to choose from. Click on the image to visit the Enfamil website and print out your own certificate.

I Heart Samples! Opening Today's Mail

2010-03-30T15:46:00.001-04:00

I just got a sample for Maple and Brown Sugar Cream of Wheat, with a $1.00 off coupon for any variety of Cream of Wheat. I love maple and brown sugar oatmeal and have always wanted to try out the Cream of Wheat version. I love to try out new things, but sometimes I can't justify spending money on something that we are going to hate. That is why samples are so awesome...and they are free, which is pretty awesome too!

I also got a Procter and Gamble sample pack. It includes samples of head & shoulders shampoo and conditioner, Pink Lemonade Metamucil (I sure could have used this when I was pregnant!), one load of 2X Ultra Tide Sport with febreze freshness (who couldn't use free samples of laundry detergent, how awesome is this?!) and a 3 pack of Pamper Cruisers (pampers are not my favorite diapers, but 3 diapers can go along way). I also got coupons for $3.00 off Tide stain release, $1.00 off Tide detergent and $2.00 off Olay Total Effects Body Wash.

Over all a pretty good day for getting everyday items!

Receive Over $100 Worth of Procter and Gamble (P&G) Coupon Savings

2010-03-29T16:33:00.001-04:00

Receive over $100 worth of P&G coupon savings in the mail when you buy $50 worth of P&G products by May 31, 2010. Send in your receipts with a printable form and you will get the coupon book in the mail. Click on the image below to visit the P & G site to print out your form.

Free Digital Recipe Magazine from Betty Crocker

2010-03-27T19:01:00.000-04:00

Sign up to receive the FREE Dinner Made Easy email newsletter and get the digital version of the Betty Crocker® Casseroles & Slow Cooker Meals recipe magazine... full of colorful recipe photos you can flip through online, just like paging through a magazine!

Free Sample of Purex Complete 3-in-1 Laundry Sheets

2010-03-24T16:14:00.000-04:00

Get a free sample of Purex Complete 3-in-1 Laundry Sheets

Coupons for a Diapers and Toilet Paper

2010-03-23T11:57:00.001-04:00

I just needed a few things at the store today, very basic necessities. Three dollars of a pack off diapers is an awesome deal!

Huggies Diapers and Scott Toilet paper

Free Samples I have Found Today

2010-03-10T11:42:00.002-05:00

Just doing a quick search today for free samples. I miss getting daily surprises of random free goodies.

Crest Whitestrips

Olay Total Effects body wash

UnderJams, Night Ware for kids

Cream of Wheat (from StartSampling, you need an account, but they have great samples!!)

StartSampling has lots of great samples today. This is one of my favorite places to find samples. They also have ways to earn points to trade in for products. I see today they have a samples from Acuvue Oasys contacts, a Free Trial pair certificate, L'Oreal EverPure, Ideal Sweetener, Enfamil, The Mystical Monkey all purpose cleaner, Members Mark formula, Tide, Parents Choice formula, Kashi, Puppy Chow, Poise, Cooking with Kids cookbook, True Lemon, Science Diet pet food, Power Bar, Glad, Beneful, Arm & Hammer, Purex, Head & Shoulders, Prilosec, Vitamin water, and Emergen-C.

I just requested about 13-14 free samples and it took me about 20 minutes, including search time. Now all I have to do is wait a few weeks and I will be getting a sample or two in the mail every day or so for a few weeks.

Latest Samples I Got In The Mail

2010-03-05T16:07:00.001-05:00

Unfortunately I haven't had much time to search for samples since baby girl was born last summer. It usually takes several weeks or as long as several months and sometimes even longer to get a sample I that I have ordered, so even though I haven't ordered any since last summer, I still get a few trickling in every month or so. I am not really expecting any more at this time, so it is time to open up all time tiny boxes and see what is inside all of them, get them put in their proper places so I can actually use them instead of having them sit here taking up space in my office.

I usually like to try to do a complete list of everything and the exact brand, but this has to be a quick post, so some things are going to be lumped together.

I got a sample pack of Quaker, Quakes Rice Snacks, Cheddar Cheese flavor...and I am going to open these tasty treats up and snack on them while I finish off my list. Yummm!

I have all shapes and sizes of feminine pads for both daytime and nighttime use, from Kotex, Carefree, Stayfree, Always, as well as tampons from Playtex and Kotex.

I have several different medications and supplements that include Metamucil, Zyrtec, 2 different packs of Triple Flex for joints and 2 different packs of Prilosec.

Crest Pro-Health Enamel Shield toothpaste sample. And Crest Whitestrips Advanced Seal teeth whitener, I was just wishing I had some of these the other day and I just found a set in the bottom of my "samples to open" box.

Caress Evenly Gorgeous exfoliating Body Wash.

Jergens natural Glow facial moisturizer and Eucerin Dry Sink Therapy lotion...I love this stuff :)

Shampoo and Conditioner sample packs from Dove, Aveeno and head & shoulders.

A wonderful little bread recipe book from Fleishmann's Yeast with 8 very detailed recipes and a bread tip chapter. I so need this, I am not the best bread maker :)

Nature's Source natural all-purpose cleaner. It has a picture of those Scrubbing Bubbles on it and it makes me want to clean my bathroom lol.

Tide Total Care laundry detergent. It says it is for one load, but I always get 2-3 loads, even in my large front loader washing machine.

A 3 pack of Emergen-C, Raspberry, Super Orange and Cherry-Pomegranate...Yumm!

A Hellmann's Light vs.Real "Can you taste the difference" 2-pack. There are 2 packs of Mayo labeled A & B, after you use them you can go to the website to see if you can taste the difference between Real mayo or Light mayo. I have a feeling that I am going to be able to taste the difference, but it will be fun anyways.

Kashi Honey Sunshine cereal. I think this is going to be my sample dessert after I finish up my bag of Rice Cakes.

I have 2 samples of GoodNights, boxers for boys, size small medium. I know I am not going to need them for the older kids, but I think I will try them out for the younger kids for overnight instead of Pull-Ups. I am pretty sure my 3 year old is even night time potty trained at this point, but it is good to know I have back up.
A lot of these samples came with coupons, but they have been sitting here for so long that many of them have expired by now, boo.

So that is the latest batch of Freebies and Samples that I have, and I guess it is time to start searching again and find some more!

Homemade Moisturizing Salt Body Scrub, It's Frugal and its Green

2010-01-26T21:05:00.000-05:00

That is right my Green and Frugal friends, it is Tuesday again, and that means another edition of Going Green Tuesdays over at Mommy's Time. Brianne has some fab ideas of her own, so when you are done here, bounce on over to her blog and check them out!

A moisturizing salt, body scrub is a great way to exfoliate and keep your skin soft anytime of the year. There are so many different ways to personalize a salt scrub to make it perfect for you, that there really is no reason to go out and buy a pre-made scrub.

To start out with, you will need:

Course Sea Salt
A Carrier Oil
Your favorite Essential Oils
Other optional ingredients (discussed in the article)
A wide mouth mason jar or something similar

First, you need to choose the type of Carrier Oil you want to use for a base. A Carrier oil is a mild vegetable oil that comes from comes from kernels, nuts or seeds. You also want to make sure that the carrier oil is cold pressed so that it is as pure as possible. Nice carrier oils that I like for a salt scrub are Apricot, Jojoba, Sunflower, Olive, Avocado, or Macadamia Nut Oil. It really depends on your preference and how much you are willing to pay, Olive Oil is much more afordable than Macadamia Nut Oil. Some of these ingredients can be pricey to start out with, mostly if you are buying in bulk, but in the long run you will end up saving money.

Next, think about what type of scents you would like to use. Some carrier oils have a mild scent, but the scrub will get the majority of its scent from essential oils. You can choose a single scent, or mix a few together to come up with your own personal scent. Other optional ingredients could be lemon, lime or orange zest, or ground vanilla beans. You can also add perfume oils as well, like cucumber, coconut, chocolate, or mango. Adding lemon, lime or orange zest will cut down on the self-life.

Some examples of a good combinations that I like, are:

Avocado oil with a lemon essential oil and a bit of lemon and lime zest.
Sunflower oil with lavender essential oil and ground vanilla beans.
Sunflower oil with cinnamon essential oil and orange zest.
Olive oil with sandalwood essential oil.
Olive oil with mint and lemon essential oils.
Macadamia nut oil with chocolate and/or coconut essential oils or perfumes.

It really depends on what your favorite scent combinations are, there are just so many options out there. You just have to experiment a bit with different scents figure out what works best for you. On the other hand, you don't need to add any extra essential oils or scents at all if you just want to make an exfoliating scrub without any scent at all or if you have sensitive skin.

Once you pick out your scent combination, mixing everything together is fairly easy. You will need a wide mouth jar, or other container that you can reach your hand into, but can still be sealed well.

Mix together 1 cup of course sea salt, 1/2 to 1 cup of your carrier oil, again, this depends on your preference. Add essential oils, perfume oils or extra ingredient you choose and mix well. You will need 20-40 drops of oil total, depending on how many different scents you choose and how strong you want the scrub to smell. Some essential oils have a stronger smell, so you might not need as much to start out with. I always start with less when I first start out, and go from there. You might want to mix everything together, let it sit for a day and then once you have had time away from everything, go back and see if you really need more or not.

At the end of your shower, massage a comfortable amount into your skin, covering your entire body, avoiding your face. The salt is too harsh for your face. Be careful, the oils in the scrub will make your feet and the tub very slippery. Avoid using this on your feet unless you are able to sit. This scrub makes a great foot scrub as well and is a nice way to prepare your feet for sandals and flip-flops in the Spring.

Finally, rinse off with water and now you have moisturized and exfoliated skin. You will not be washing this off with soap, as it will counteract the moisturizing properties, but you will want to avoid using your best towels.
Have fun experimenting with different scents, and enjoy your fresh, glowing skin!

I Love my Steam Cleaners!

2010-01-19T17:04:00.000-05:00

That is right friends, it is Tuesday and that means another edition of Going Green Tuesdays over at Mommy's Time. Brianne has some fab ideas of her own, so bounce on over to her blog and check them out!

I got a steam cleaner for Christmas. Yes, I am one of those women who find joy in getting appliances, gadgets and even steam cleaners for Christmas. My steam cleaner has these nice thick washable microfiber pads along with other attachments and cool nozzles. I love it! And I love that I can wash the cleaning pads in the washing machine and reuse them. I have one for the floors and a smaller one that I can use all over the house.

There are many reasons why steam cleaning is so great for our family. The first one being that I can disinfect the floors, door knobs, counter tops, fridge, heck, I have even hit the bottom of my shoes with it. Once I get started with my steam cleaner, it is hard to stop...aahhh, domestic bliss at its finest. With our little Wee Nut and his Heart Defect, it is very important for our house to be free of as many nasty germs as possible. A bug or virus that would be nothing more than annoying for the rest of the family, can put my little guy in the hospital. So we are extra careful to keep our home as healthy as possible.

The most fabulous thing about my steam cleaner is that all it requires is water to disinfect anything we want. There are no cleaners, no chemicals, nothing but filtered water. Not only does that keep all of those things away from our family...but we don't have to buy any extra cleaners. Sure, I have to wash many things with soap and water, but when I steam the floors, it is nothing but water. If the kitchen stove is greasy, I do have to wipe it down with hot soapy dish water, but after it is washed, I can hit the whole stove, along with the counter tops for a final disinfecting. If something is stuck on the stove, I spray it will the hand steamer and it comes up with very little scrubbing or extra cleanser.

I love my living room carpet. That is the only room in the entire house that I feel needs a carpet. I love sitting on the floor with the kids and playing games or laying around watching a movie with them. That is the room that the children spend the most time playing in, crawling all over the place. I vacuum it all the time, but never really feel like it is clean. I rented a shampooer years ago, and I am not real fond of the smell of the cleaner that comes with it or the fact that I have no idea where the rented shampooer has been. The smell of the cleaner just stinks of chemicals. My new steamer has a carpet attachment. All I have to do is vacuum my carpet well and then go over it with the steamer, and ta-da! disinfected carpet. No extra cleansers, no harsh chemicals, just water. Super frugal way to clean the carpets and Go Green at the same time. I love it!

I have only had my steam cleaner for just under a month, but I am always finding new ways to use it. It has seriously cut down on the cost of cleaning supplies I buy and is so simple to use, I find myself grabbing either the hand held version or the floor version almost every day. I love my Steam Cleaners!

How to Make a Moisturizing Lip Balm

2009-12-15T20:50:00.001-05:00

I wear Lip Balm or Chap Stick almost very day, especially in the winter and summer months when my lips tend to dry out the most. Making your own Homemade Moisturizing Lip Balm is so fun and easy. You can add your favorite scented oils as well and when you apply it to your lips, it is in the perfect spot for aromatherapy to get you though your day. You can make several different scented lip balms for different times of the day and different moods. There are so many different scents to choose from and it really depends on what your preference is, get creative and see what you can come up with. One of the greatest things about making your own Lip Balm is that it is so cheap to make you can save tons of money and tell every one that you made your own personal Lip Balm.

One of the things I love about making Lip Balm at home is that all of the containers can get reused and they are not constantly getting thrown out. You can reuse all sorts of random containers and even reuse the containers that some of the ingredients come in. It cuts down on trash and is a simple way to Go Green.

The difference between a Lip Balm, or Chap Stick and a Lip Gloss, is that the Lip Balm and Chap Stick are meant to be worn to moisturize and protect your lips, while a Lip Gloss is a fun and simple way to get shiny, sexy lips.

You will need:

A Used Lip Gloss Tin or Jar, Or
An Empty Baby Food Jar
Beeswax
Cocoa Butter, Or
Shea Butter, Or
Your Favorite Carrier Oil, Or
Petroleum Jelly (not really the greenest of ingredients, but some people like to use it)
Your Favorite Food Grade Scented Oil, Or
Your Favorite Essential Oils
Glass Measuring Cup for Liquids
Spoon, Or
Dropper, Or
Medicine Dispenser (like an empty syringe)
Cheese Grater (possibly)

I have a tendency to hold on to things, like the little tins that Lip Balm comes in, to find new ways to reuse them. When I started making my own Lip Balm, I had several used lip balm jars and tins in my craft room waiting to be recycled and used in a new way. I also save baby food jars and have quite a collection of those as well. If you use lip balm often, a baby food jar might be the way to go for you. Baby food jars full of Lip Balm are also a perfect addition to your bedside table. When properly stored, Lip Balm will last for close to a year, especially if you make sure your fingers are clean when you use it. Additionally, make sure that your used tin or jar is clean before adding your Lip Balm to it, I usually just toss them in the dishwasher.

I have also included a link to company that sells empty containers at the end of this article. You will have to make sure those are clean as well, I always wash mine before using them.

A Carrier oil is a mild vegetable oil that comes from comes from kernels, nuts or seeds. When choosing a Carrier Oil, you also want to make sure that it is cold pressed. Alternatively, you can choose a food grade scented oil (or unscented if you choose), or combination of oils for your Lip Balm. A few examples and ideas for you include:

Almond Oil
Coconut Oil
Apricot Oil
Hempseed Oil
Peppermint Oil
Citrus Oil
Jojoba Oil
Sunflower Oil

Make sure that everything you are using to mix your Lip Balm in is clean.

All of the Lip Balm Recipes have a Beeswax base to them. You can purchase Beeswax as a chunk or you can get it in loose little pellets. If you get it as a chunk, you will need to grate it before melting it. It does not need to be a small size, your average cheese grater will work just fine. You can also use a sharp knife to shave off small chunks, about the size of a pea or piece of corn. There is really no wrong way to do it.

Beeswax and Cocoa Butter Lip Balm:

Mix the Beeswax and Cocoa Butter in a 1:1 ratio (the same as a 50-50 ratio) in a glass measuring cup (like the Pyrex ones with the handle). If you do not have a glass measuring cup, a glass bowl will work just fine. For smaller Lip Balm containers use 1-2 teaspoons of each, and for larger containers like baby food jars use 3-5 tablespoons of each.

Heat the Beeswax and Cocoa Butter in the microwave for 10-15 seconds, and then stir. Repeat this process until the ingredients are melted together. The amount of time you will need to heat it will be different depending on the amount of Lip Balm you are making.

This Lip Balm recipe is great as it is, but you can also add a drop or two of a scented or essential oil. Cocoa Butter has a bit of a chocolate scent to it, so you have to think about that when choosing your oil scents. Mint or Coconut would be two wonderful choices to add to this Lip Balm. You will be adding the essential oil to the mix after the Beeswax and Cocoa Butter has melted.

Beeswax and Shea Butter Lip Balm:

The basic recipe for this is the same as the first recipe (1:1 ratio) but you have more scents to choose from because the Shea Butter does not have a scent itself. It has a slight nutty scent as it comes from the nuts of the Karite Nut Tree. For the most part though, you will not notice a scent and you can mix it with just about any scent you wish.

Follow the same instructions for heating and mixing this recipe as the Beeswax and Cocoa Butter Lip Balm.

Beeswax and Carrier Oil Lip Balm:

I still use a 1:1 ratio for this recipe, but it is a much softer Lip Balm. Most Carrier Oils have a great scent to them, like Coconut Oil. Add a few drops of a lime scented oil with Coconut Oil for a fresh summer blend. A few drops of Chocolate and Peppermint Oils would make for a wonderful Christmas Holiday scent. There are so many different essential oils and scented oils to choose from that the possibilities are endless!

Follow the same instructions for heating and mixing this recipe as the Beeswax and Cocoa Butter Lip Balm.

Beeswax and Petroleum Jelly Lip Balm:

You can still use the 1:1 ratio with this recipe, and again it is a much softer Lip Balm. Adding the Petroleum Jelly also gives this mixture more of a glossy look to it. If you like the harder Lip Balms without the glossy look, use a 1 to ½ ratio with this, the Beeswax being the larger portion.

Follow the same instructions for heating and mixing this recipe as the Beeswax and Cocoa Butter Lip Balm.

After your base and scented oils are heated and mixed together well you can add it to your container of choice. If you have a dropper or syringe type medicine dispenser, they work great to transfer the lip balm from your measuring cup or bowl to your container. If not you can use a spoon to transfer it. The glass measuring cups are nice to use, because you can slowly pour the lip balm into the larger containers.

After you make your first batch, you may decide that it is not the right consistency for you, feel free to add more or less of each ingredient. I love experimenting with different ingredients and amounts used.

Enjoy using your homemade Lip Balm and have fun experimenting with textures and flavors!

With any of these recipes, you can add a few drops of Vitamin E to the mix for extra moisturizing.

It is Tuesday...and that means another addition of Going Green Tuesdays over at Mommy's Time. Hop on over and check out more Going Green Tips...Have tips of your own? Join her blog hop and share what you know.

5 Simple Ways to Go Green and Save Money

2009-12-08T16:44:00.000-05:00

As Christmas is coming up fast, we are all trying to find ways to cut down on every day expenses to find a few extra dollars for Christmas presents. I have a list of 5 Things that I do on a regular basis to help save money as well as save the environment...because Going Green is Frugal ;)

1. Use Cloth Napkins instead of paper napkins. I have never gone out to the store looking for Cloth Napkins, I just happen across them at yard sales, thrift stores, or in the clearance section at Walmart or Target. I will never pay more than .25cents for a napkin either.

2. Cloth Diapers are so much more affordable than cases upon cases of disposables. Once you get the hang of it, it is not any more trouble than changing a disposable diaper. I have been Cloth Diapering my 4 1/2 month old baby girl for just over 2 months now and it is so easy. It is way easier to toss some diapers in the laundry to wash, than it is to pack up 5 kids to go to the store for a case of disposables. My utility bills have hardly increased at all, and not anywhere close to the amount of money that I spent every month on disposables.

3. Reuse Baby Wipes. When I started Cloth Diapering, I would change out baby girl's diaper and throw the wipes in the dirty diaper bag and they would end up in the wash. I notice how well they stay together even after 3-4 washes. They really don't start to deteriorate until about 4-5 washes. I have been dunking them in warm water and using them to wash my baby girl's bottom during diaper changes. I have already noticed how much longer a case of Baby Wipes lasts me and I have been saving a good amount of money too. Recently, I was having a discussion on My Community about Cloth Diapering and Quirky Momma mentioned that she reuses Baby Wipes as Cloth Diaper Liners...Brilliant! If you want to find out some more Cloth Diapering tips or you have some that you want to share, visit My Community and join the conversation.

4. I love my Swiffer, but I don't like throwing away the disposable Swiffer cleaning pads. I got a pack of microfiber clothes and use those most of the time. The greatest thing about the microfiber cloths is that I can use them wet or dry with the Swiffer and they work great! They actually collect the dust from the hardwood floors better than the disposable pads and saves me time as well as money!

5. Over to the fun and exciting part of life, I save many different things from everyday life to give to my kids for arts and crafts. We save toilet paper rolls for all sorts of different activities from making music instruments to making tunnels for little toy animals. We save both the paper and styrofoam egg cartons for making fun animal crafts as well as using as a paint pan for all the different colors of paint.

I have more simple ways to reuse everyday items to save money and Go Green, but that is for another post.

It is Tuesday...and that means another addition of Going Green Tuesdays over at Mommy's Time. Hop on over and check out more Going Green Tips...Have tips of your own? Join her blog hop and share what you know.

How to Make Homemade Herbal Shampoo

2009-12-01T16:47:00.000-05:00

If you have a hard time finding the perfect combination of your favorite herbal scents in shampoos, you should try making your own at home. Not sure what all of those unpronounceable ingredients are in your current shampoo? Forget all of the harsh chemicals and strange ingredients, make your own and know exactly what is in it.

I have found that when I buy herbal shampoos, often times the scents mixed are not what I am looking for or they are too strong or not strong enough. You can make your own personal blend with a basic unscented shampoo or a castile soap such as Dr Bronner’s.

You will need:

Basic unscented Shampoo or a Castile Soap
Glycerin
Your favorite Herbs or Essential Oils
An Old Shampoo Bottle

You can use either dried or fresh herbs. I love to add lavender to my shampoo. Sometimes I have fresh lavender growing in my garden, sometimes I have to buy it dried. You can mix together several of your favorite herbs or choose just one, the choice is up to you. As a note, if you use chamomile, it will add highlights and/or lighten your hair depending on how dark it is.

For this shampoo recipe, the amount of herbs you use varies depending on if they are fresh or dried. You will need either:

1/4-1/2 cup of dried herbs
1/2-2/3 cup fresh herbs

You can also add a few tablespoons of dried citrus zest to the mixture as well.

The amount you use depends on how strong you like your herbal shampoo to smell. Some herbs have a stronger smell than others do, so you might need just a small amount of one herb while needing a larger amount of another.

Mix the herbs with 2 cups of water in a pot on the stove and heat without boiling for about 5 minutes, then turn off the heat. Let the herbs steep for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. You can either strain the herbs from the water, and move on to the next step, or you can put the water and herb mixture in a blender to reduce the size of the chunks of herbs and leave them in your shampoo. It is all a matter of preference.

If you do not have access to fresh herbs or prefer to use essential oils, you can do that too. You will need to add 5-15 drops of essential oil to 2 cups of water, depending on how strong you would like your shampoo to smell. Some essential oils have a stronger aroma than others, so you will be using more or less depending on the strength of the oil scent. This mixture does not need to be heated.

Add 1 cup of basic unscented shampoo or castile soap to the scented water and stir or whisk gently.

Add 1 cup of glycerin to the mixture and stir or whisk well.

Pour your homemade herbal shampoo into an old shampoo bottle and enjoy!

If you use chamomile, it will add highlights and/or lighten your hair depending on how dark it is.

It is Tuesday...and that means another addition of Going Green Tuesdays over at Mommy's Time. Hop on over and check out more Going Green Tips...Have tips of your own? Join her blog hop and share what you know.

Homemade Toothpaste

2009-11-17T12:54:00.000-05:00

Whether you are trying to save money, go green, avoid possible carcinogens or find that perfect flavor, making your own toothpaste at home is a simple alternative to store bought brands. This may be something that you will only use when you run out of your favorite toothpaste, need something simple for camping or you might just love it so much that you will never buy another tube of toothpaste again. Once you experiment with a few techniques, I am sure that you will be able to come up with a recipe that suits your taste, while saving money at the same time.

I started making my own toothpaste while camping, as a way to cut down on items that were packed and lighten my load. I now have three recipes that I like the best. You may have to experiment a bit with my recipes, especially when adding flavor to figure out which combination works best for you. For the most part, for me, the basic recipe stays the same, but I still change the amount of flavor I use from time to time.

The essential oils I like to use are food grade lemon, lime, orange, cinnamon, peppermint, and spearmint. Different combinations I like are lemon-lime and lemon-peppermint. Some essential oils have a stronger flavor than others, you can often get a good idea of the strength of the taste by how strong the aroma is.

I get my dried herbs from my garden. I dry them and grind them into a find powder using a mortar and pestle. I mostly use different mints, including lemon mint and chocolate mint. For the dried citrus zest, I simply zest a bit of lemon, lime or orange peal, let it dry and then grind it using a mortar and pestle. My cinnamon powder comes straight from my kitchen cupboards. Again, different dried powders will have stronger flavors.

My first recipe is a dry one that can be stored in a small mason jar on the counter.

Mix together:
9 Tablespoons baking soda
6 Tablespoons salt
1-3 teaspoons of dried herbs, zest or cinnamon to suit your taste. I always start by adding a smaller amount, tasting it and then making a decision to add more or not.

When you are ready to brush, run your toothbrush in hot water and dip it in the dry mix to cover your toothbrush with an amount comfortable for you.

This recipe is a paste that can be stored in a small mason jar on the counter.

Mix together:
9 Tablespoons baking soda
6 Tablespoons salt
2-3 Tablespoons of glycerin
10-15 Drops essential oil, to taste
OR
1-3 teaspoons of dried herbs, zest or cinnamon to suit your taste.

You may want to add a little bit more or less glycerin, depending on how thick you like your paste to be.

When you are ready to brush, dip your toothbrush into the paste to get a comfortable amount to use.

The last recipe is what I have used the most for camping, since I am already taking a bit of peroxide in my first aide kit, a small container of baking soda fits nicely in the kit as well. This is the simplest to make and use. It does not require any pre-mixing and can be used at home just as easily as out on the trail.

Splash a bit of peroxide on your toothbrush, dip it in the baking soda and then brush.

For any of these recipes, the texture and strength is completely up to you. Have fun experimenting with all the different ways you can make your own toothpaste at home!

It is Tuesday...and that means another addition of Going Green Tuesdays over at Mommy's Time. Hop on over and check out more Going Green Tips...Have tips of your own? Join her blog hop and share what you know.

Homemade Furniture Polish is a Great way to Go Green and Save Money

2009-11-10T18:52:00.000-05:00

A great way to condition your furniture and keep it free of dust at the same time is to make your own Furniture Polish. I didn't like the harsh chemical smell of the store bought furniture polish, so for years, I used only soap and water to clean the dust off of my furniture, then one day I noticed that one of my tables was starting to show signs of aging much faster than I thought it should. So I started making my own conditioning furniture polish. It is so easy and cheap, I can’t believe I didn’t think of this sooner!

There are several recipes that I use depending on my mood when I make it. The best part about these recipes are that they are all natural and an easy way to go green at home!

I like to use the spray bottles that have measurements on them and mix everything right in the bottle and shake it up.

Basic Furniture Polish:

Add 3 parts Olive Oil and 1 part Vinegar to your spray bottle and mix well. If the mix separates in between uses, give it a quick shake to re-mix it. The vinegar smell will disappear when it dries out.

Lemon Furniture Polish:

Add 3 parts Olive Oil and 1 part Lemon Juice to your spray bottle and mix well. If the mix separates in between uses, give it a quick shake to re-mix it.

Citrus Scented Furniture Polish:

Add 3 parts Olive Oil and 1 Part Vinegar with several drops of Lemon or Orange Oil to your spray bottle and mix well. You can use more or less, depending on how strong you would like it to smell after it dries. If the mix separates in between uses, give it a quick shake to re-mix it.

Herbal Scented Furniture Polish:

For an Herbal scent, simply mix the furniture polish as directed above in the Citrus Scented recipe, but add your favorite herbal scents. My favorite to use is Lavender Oil, but you can mix and match your favorite scents to personalize it just for you. You could try Sage, Mint, Sandalwood, or Vanilla, for example. If the mix separates in between uses, give it a quick shake to re-mix it.

Seasonal Scented Furniture Polish:

For a fun summery beach scent, you can add coconut oil or for a Christmas Holiday scent, you can add clove, cinnamon or pine oil. You can also purchase mixed scent oils, such as Rain, Spring Blossom, Crisp Linen, etc, at the same places you would find your favorite herbal scented oils. If the mix separates in between uses, give it a quick shake to re-mix it.

It is so much fun to experiment with all the different scents to accent your home with. Have fun finding the perfect scent for your home!

It is Tuesday...and that means another addition of Going Green Tuesdays over at Mommy's Time. Hop on over and check out more Going Green Tips...Have tips of your own? Join her blog hop and share what you know.

Vinegar is a Great way to Get rid of Lime Deposits

2009-10-28T12:55:00.002-04:00

Also known as Hard Water Stains, Mineral Deposits, and Calcium Build-up, Lime Deposits around your faucets, in your sinks and tubs and in your coffee pot can be a nuisance, and now they can be a thing of the past! With just a little bit of vinegar you can get rid of the lime deposits that are built up and continue to use it to keep them from coming back. Additionally, Vinegar is a great disinfectant and was used by many hospitals for years to clean beds and floors in rooms.

Cleaning Out a Sluggish Coffee Pot:

Fill the coffee pot to the highest level with vinegar, turn it on and let the vinegar run thought it. If this is the first time you have done this, you may have to repeat the process several times to remove all of the lime deposits.

To keep the mineral deposits from coming back and clogging up your coffee pot in the future, run a half a pot of vinegar through your machine once a week and you will always have free flowing coffee.

Cleaning Out Your Dishwasher:

You can get lime deposits in both the dishwasher and in the pipes and hoses that go into and out of your dishwasher. You can keep this from happening by simply adding a few cups of vinegar to your dishwashers rinse cycle at least once a week. There is no need to run an empty dishwasher and the vinegar will also help to remove any hard water deposits that can build up on your glasses. It doesn’t hurt to add a few cups of vinegar to every rinse cycle if you have extremely hard water and will help your dishes come out clear.

Removing Build-Up From Around Faucets:

There are two ways to remove the white calcium deposits from around your faucets.

The first way is to soak a rag in vinegar and wrap it around your faucets and handles and let it set for a few hours. The vinegar will help to break up the lime deposits and you can wipe them away. If you have heavy build-up, you may have to do this overnight.

Another way to get rid of the lime deposits from around your faucets is to dip an old toothbrush in vinegar and scrub the deposits. You can also do a combination of both soaking with a rag and then following up with the toothbrush.

Once you have removed all of the mineral deposits, you can keep them from coming back by spraying the faucets down with vinegar once a week and letting it sit for a few minutes and then wiping it clean. You may have to do this more than once a week if you have very hard water. The smell of the vinegar will go away once it has dried.

Removing Build-Up From Inside a Shower Head:

Remove the shower head by unscrewing it from the pipe that comes out of the wall. Place the shower head in a tall container that will hold it as well as allow it to be completely covered by vinegar. Pour the vinegar over the shower head and let it sit for several hours or overnight. Make sure to move the shower head around a bit to get rid of any air pockets that might be trapped in it.

If there is too much build up on the entire shower head and you can not unscrew it, you will need to soak it for several hours or overnight to loosen the mineral deposits. You can fill a heavy duty Zip-Lock bag with vinegar and attach it to your shower head with rubber bands. This is how my mother always did it when I was growing up as we had extremely hard water. After you get the shower head loose, you are still going to need to soak it in a container to remove the lime deposits from all parts of the shower head. If you can not get it off, rotate and adjust the shower head so that it is in a different position and repeat the process of attaching a baggie full of vinegar. Even if you can’t get it off, this will help to clear out any areas inside the showerhead that didn’t get the vinegar soak due to air pockets.

Removing Lime Deposits From Glass Shower Doors:

If your glass shower doors have started getting a cloudy appearance, spray them down with vinegar, let them sit for a few minutes and wipe them down. The shower doors don’t stay wet for very long, so you may have to spray them down again if you have heavy build up. You can clean out the runners at the bottom of the door with an old toothbrush as well. If you quickly spray your shower doors down with vinegar after every shower, or at least several times a week, you will be able to eliminate hard water build up on them and get rid of that cloudy appearance all together. Simply spray the doors down and wipe them with a rag. You can spray the runners down and walk away without doing anything, the vinegar smell will go away once the vinegar dries.

Cleaning out a Humidifier:

We use our humidifier quite a bit in the winter months and it really helps the kids sleep better and get over colds faster when they do get sick. Even though I clean it out every morning, mineral deposits can get in all the pieces and parts and can clog everything up. Once certain parts get too clogged up, there is no turning back and no way to really clean it out.

Depending on how often it gets used, you should clean it out with vinegar every week or so, about every 7 uses. Add several cups of vinegar to your humidifier, more or less depending on size, then fill it up to the proper level for running and run it through until it is empty. You might want to put it in a closed off room with an open window if the smell of vinegar becomes too strong. The smell of the vinegar will dissipate after awhile as well.

Removing Build-Up in Your Washing Machine:

Add a cup of vinegar to the rinse cycle of every load of wash and it will help to keep lime deposits from forming around your washing machine and in the hoses that drain out of the machine. Vinegar is also a great way to remove odors from clothing, your clothes will never have a vinegar smell when they come out of the dryer.

*Head on over to Brianne's blog and Mommy's Time and check out her Going Green Tuesdays!

Simple ways to Save Money on Holiday Wrapping Paper While Going Green

2009-10-26T13:48:00.003-04:00

The Holiday budget does not only include gifts, you have to figure out how to wrap all of those presents without going over budget and breaking the bank. By using Recycled materials from throughout the year, you can not only save money, but it is a great way to incorporate Going Green into your Holiday.

You Will Need:

Used Gift Bags
Used Tissue Paper
Used Packing Paper
Markers
Crayons
Stickers
Cloth Napkins
Scraps of Fabric
Holiday Stencils
Small Sponge
Holiday Colored Paint
Holiday Stamps

The easiest way to save money next year, is to start with this years presents. When ever you get a present in a Gift Bag, save the bag and the tissue paper. Every year for Christmas, I start by pulling out my overflowing bag of last years Gifts Bags, along with the tissue paper that was in them. I can get at least 75% of all Gifts Given into last years Gift Bags. I have not bought a gift bag in over 10 years. I do the same thing with nice ribbons.

If you have a small gift, you can wrap it in a nice cloth napkin. It's like giving two gifts. Throughout the year, I look for Christmas colored napkins at Thrift Shops and Yard Sales. If they are in good shape, they make a beautiful wrapping. You can also find Christmas napkins on sale after the Holidays are over. Tie it together with a nice ribbon from last year and you have a wonderfully creative gift.

Save all of your packing paper from all of your deliveries to your home or work and wrap the larger Gifts with those. For adult Gifts, you can stencil Holiday images like Holly, a Christmas Tree, a Wreath, or a Sled. You can find Holiday stencils at hobby shops, craft supply stores or places like Wal-Mart. Again, the best time to find great deals on the stencils just after the Holidays. You can look at places like Lowe’s or other home improvement stores for Holiday colored paints on sale through out the year. Really, you can use any color you find. I like to use brighter colors because they are so much fun. You just dip a sponge in a bit of paint and press over the stencil.

If you are wrapping children's gifts in packing paper, you can decorate them with markers, crayons and stickers. If your family is anything like mine, we always have a huge supply of stickers that can be added to presents.

For both the children's and adults gifts, when you use packing paper you can write the name of the recipient on the Gift Wrap and there is no need for labels. The same goes for using Holiday stamps, I like to use brighter fun colors for the children's gifts and darker more muted colors for the adults, but feel free to use whichever color is fun for you.

If you belong to a wholesale club, you can get great deals on paper there. Four years ago, I bought a super-sized roll of double-sided paper there and finally this year it will run out. A great deal for eight dollars!

All of this is great for the Holidays when there are presents to wrap for the family, but you can use all of these ideas for birthdays and anniversaries as well, you just need different stamps or stencils for different occasions.

Happy Wrapping!

*Head on over to Brianne's blog and Mommy's Time and check out her Going Green Tuesdays! Do you have your own Going Green ideas? Join Brianne every Tuesday for her Going Green blog hop :)

Frugal Homemade Deep Hair Conditioning Treatments

2009-09-25T12:55:00.000-04:00

Making a simple Conditioning Hair Treatment is so easy, it can be done as often as you like. Most take a just a few minutes to prepare and will leave your hair feeling soft and smelling great. These are my favorite Homemade Conditioning recipes.

A Honey Conditioning Treatment for light hair. You will need ¼-½ of a cup of honey depending on your hair length. Gently massage the honey into your hair and cover with a plastic bag, plastic wrap or a shower cap. Leave on for 30-60 minutes, it will rinse out easily and then you can follow your normal washing and conditioning routine. I like to use less honey when I start out, while it sits on your head it will thin out a bit and if you use too much it can be messy. This treatment will also lighten or add highlights to your hair over time.

A Molasses Treatment for Darker Hair. If you have darker hair I would recommend this over the Honey Treatment, it will not lighten your hair at all. Apply the molasses the same way as the honey and continue your normal hair care routine.

Avocado is high in rich nutritious fatty oil and makes a wonderful conditioner. Remove the peel and pit from the avocado and smash it into a creamy paste. Spread onto your hair, cover with plastic wrap, a plastic bag or a shower cap. Leave on for 30-60 minutes, rinse, then wash and condition as usual.

An Oil Treatment. You can use any number of basic carrier oils, such as Olive, Vegetable, Jojoba, Coconut, or Soybean Oil (to name just a few). You will need approximately 1-3 teaspoons of oil depending on the length of your hair. You can add a couple of drops of your favorite essential oil to this treatment as well, I like to add Lavender oil to mine. Massage the oil into your hair, cover with plastic wrap, a plastic bag or shower cap. Leave on for 30-60 minutes, rinse well, then wash and condition as usual.

Smash up a Banana for a Deep Conditioning Treatment. You will need a half to a whole banana, depending on the size of the banana and the length of your hair. Smash the banana into a creamy texture, massage into your hair and cover with plastic wrap, a bag or shower cap. Leave on for 30-60 minutes, rinse well, then wash and condition as usual.

A Mayonnaise Conditioning Treatment. You will need about a quarter of a cup to a half of a cup of Mayo for this deep conditioning treatment. Massage into your hair and cover with plastic wrap, a bag or shower cap. Leave on for 30-60 minutes, rinse well, then wash and condition as usual.

An Avocado Mayonnaise Treatment. You will only need half of the avocado and half of the amount of Mayo that you would use for the mayonnaise treatment. Massage into your hair and cover with plastic wrap, a bag or shower cap. Leave on for 30-60 minutes, rinse well, then wash and condition as usual.

I love using all of these Homemade Conditioning Hair Treatments, I hope you enjoy them too!